Dual station steering mechanism



Sept 1, 1970 FARRINGTQN ETAL 3,526,152

DUAL STATION STEERING MECHANISM Filed March 24, 1969 5 sheets sheet lINVENTORS. ROBERT K. FARRINGTON LOUIS T. HORVATH ATTORNEYS Sept. 1, 1970R. K. FARRINGTON ETA!- 6,

DUAL STATION STEERING MECHANISM Filed March 24, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet z-FIG 4 84 II I 72 INVENTORS. K. FARRINGTQN H VATH ATTORNEYS P 1970 R. K.FARRINGTON ETAL 3,526,152

DUAL STATION STEERING MECHANISM Filed March 24, 1969 3 SheetsSheet 5FlG.3 A D INVENTORS. OBERT K.FARRINGTON LOUIS T. ORVATH ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent Office 3,526,152 Patented Sept. 1, 1970 US. Cl. 74479 9Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A steering interchanger by which thesteering mechanism of a boat can be controlled from one or the other oftwo steering stations on a boat. The interchanger comprises a pair ofarms oscillatably supported on a rotatable body wherein the arms areconnected separately to the two steering stations and the body isconnected to the boat steering mechanism. A pair of axially aligned pinhalves are movable in said body between the arms engaging opposed torquetransmitting surfaces of one or the other of the arms, the pin halvesbeing housed in cylindrical anti-friction sleeve members which permitthe pin halves to roll relative to said surfaces rather than slide.These and other features provide an interchanger which is adaptable todilferent makes of boats and boat drives.

The present invention relates to steering mechanisms, and moreparticularly to an improved steering interchanger which can becontrolled from one of two control stations on a boat.

The invention is particularly applicable to boats having single or twininboard-outboard drives, and will be described with particular referencethereto, although it will be appreciated that the invention has broaderapplication.

In the art of medium-sized engine propelled boats, it is conventionalpractice to have two stations from which the boat may be steered, forinstance, one on the main deck, and another on what is normally termed aflying bridge. From each station, a push-pull cable leads from thesteering wheel assembly to the rudder mechanim. It has been found thatif both of the steering assemblies are always engaged, the drag createdby the steering assembly which is not in use makes the amount of effortrequired to steer from the other station unduly large.

Pat. No. 3,128,738, assigned to assignee of the present application,describes a mechanism positionable adjacent the stern of a boat, whichcan selectively engage one of the steering stations with the rudder,while disengaging the other. Sucha mechanism, termed an interchanger,was designed primarily for use with inboard engine craft having aconventional rudder where, except when the boat is in a tight turningcircle, forces on the interchanger are low.

As described in said prior patent, the steering interchanger comprised acylindrical rotatable body ope-ratively connected to the boat rudderpost, and a pair of steering arms movable in spaced planes at rightangles to the axis of the interchanger body, connected via cables to theboat steering stations. An engaging pin was adapted to ride up-and-downwithin the interchanger body to engage the body with one or the other ofthe steering a-rms, through opposed torque transmitting recesses of thelatter, the pin being carried by a piston axially movable within thebody. Control cables leading to either of the two steering stationsprovided the means for moving the piston.

Although the above arrangement proved to be excellent for conventionalrudder turning, the advent of the inboard-outboard drive resulted incertain difiiculties. In such a drive, steering is accomplished byturning the entire motor transmission which supports the drivepropeller, so that not only are conventional turning forces experiencedagainst the steering mechanism, but in addition, the rotation of thepropeller creates forces which are transmitted to the steeringmechanism. This combined torque on the interchanger body binds theengaging pin against the body and the arm recesses developing frictionforces which make it very diflicult to disengage the pin from onesteering arm and engage it with the other.

The above is particularly true in the case of dual or twininboard-outboard units wherein a single steering interchanger is used toturn both of the inboard-outboard transmissions. The combined forcesdeveloped by the two drives makes it virtually impossible to shift fromone steering station to the other when the boat is underway;particularly when the boat is in a turn; or even when the boat isproceeding straight ahead, if the engines are not exactly aligned orparallel.

Another problem experienced with conventional steering interchangers isone of space limitation depending upon the make of boat and driveinvolved. Before the advent of the inboard-outboard unit, the area nearthe transom of a boat and rudder post usually was relatively openplacing little limitation upon the design or mounting of theinterchanger. However, the inboard-outboard engine is positioned closeto the boat transom, and the engine components, such as the exhaustriser or risers, and other objects, severely restrict the position anduse of the interchanger. Even the design of the boat itself canseriously restrict the location and orientation of the interchanger, andin particular, movement of the interchanger steering arms.

Also it is possible, because of the location and orientation of theinterchanger in some boats, for a relatively large eccentric loading tobe imposed on the rotatable body, creating forces which tend to bind theinterchanger body in the housing in which it rotates reducing theeffectiveness of the interchanger.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided in aninterchanger device of the general character described includingarotatable body, a pair of steering arms oscillatably supported on thebody, pin means shiftable in the body for engaging opposed torquetransmitting surfaces of one or the other of the arms, the improvementcomprising the pin means being in the form of axially aligned pinhalves, including cylindrical anti-friction sleeve members encompassingthe pin halves to permit rolling movement of the halves, rather thansliding engagement, when the halves are shifted from the torquetransmitting surfaces of one of the arms to those of the other, so thatshifting can be readily accomplished even though high torque forces arebeing transmitted through the interchanger body.

Preferably, the pin halves are in abutting relationship guided byapertures in the interchanger body and movable from-one arm to the otherby a piston member, the antifriction members comprising a pair ofcylindrical needle bearings contained by said piston member and bodyapertures for each of the pin halves.

In accordance with a further preferred aspect of the invention, there isprovided a mounting bracket including mounting surfaces at right anglesto each other, support means supporting the rotatable body in a planesubstantially parallel with one of the surfaces, further comprisingupper and lower tapered roller bearing sets angled 3 to provide asteering interchanger which is capable of being used with differenttypes of boats and drives, including an inboard-outboard drive, and inparticular, an interchanger which is capable of being shifted betweensteering arms even when subjected to high and/or eccentric loads.

The invention, objects and advantages thereof will become apparent uponconsideration of the following specification, with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a steering interchanger in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, detailed partial section, plan view of theinterchanger of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial section view similar to FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the interchanger of FIG. 1 illustratingan aspect of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purposeof illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention only and notfor the purpose of limiting the same, the figures show a steeringinterchanger A which includes steering arms B and C adapted to beconnected to control stations remote from the interchanger, and amounting bracket D (FIG. 3) by which the steering interchanger ismounted on the transom or hull floor of a boat. Also part of theinterchanger is a steering lever B adapted to be connected to thesteering means for a boat (such as a tiller arm) the steering arms andlever being mounted upon a rotatable body F rotatable within themounting bracket D.

United States Pat. No. 3,128,738 describes a steering interchanger ofwhich the present invention constitutes an improvement. As with theinterchanger of said prior patent, the body F is an elongated generallycylindrical member comprising a center portion 12 between axiallyaligned cylindrical extensions 14 and 16 of reduced diameter. Theextensions 14, which for purposes of this description, will be termedthe upper extension, supports the steering arms B and C (termed upperand lower arms), the latter being elongated members (generally similarin shape) provided with bulbous end portions 18 which are hollowed outto define openings 20. The openings are dimensioned to provide innersurfaces 22 which are cylindrical in part to encompass and ride upon theouter cylindrical surface 24 of the extension 14.

The steering arms are adjacent to each other and aligned in generallythe same direction, but are rotatable in separate upper and lowerplanes. They are held onto the cylindrical extension 14 by means of acollar 26 threaded onto the upper end 28 of the extension 14, the collarbeing held onto the extension by means of a set screw 30, or othermeans. Spaced from the end 28, an annular surface 32 (FIG. 3) of themounting bracket assembly D contacts the lower arm cooperating with thecollar 26 to locate the arms axially on the extension 14.

Within the extension 14, an axially drilled bore 34 is provideddimensioned to accommodate a piston member 36 movable up-and-downaxially within the bore, the piston member carrying and moving with itan engaging pin means generally indicated as item 38. In addition toriding with the piston member 36, the pin means extends through and isguided by opposed elongated slots 40 and 42 (FIG. 2), in the wall of therotatable body upper end 14, the slots being parallel with the axis ofthe end 14 and movement of the piston member.

In the inner surfaces 22 of the encompassing arm portion 18, of arms Band C, are opposed elongated recesses 44 and 46, extending from thebottom to top sides of each of the arms, the recesses being engaged bythe opposite ends 48 and 50 of the pin means 38 (FIG. 2). In thisrespect, the longitudinal length of each of the slots 40 and 42 issuflicient to permit shifting the engaging pin means from the recessesof one arm to those of the other. This can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4,where in FIG. 3 the pin means 38 engages the recesses of the lower armC, and in FIG. 4, the recesses of the upper arm B. It is apparent,referring to these figures, that the arms B and C are freely rotatableon the body extensions 14, except when engaged by the pin means, and canbe so engaged when the slots 40 and 42 of the extension 14 are alignedwith the opposed arm recesses 44 and 46.

To accommodate the pin means 38, the piston member 36 is provided with acylindrical, straight bore 52 which is at right angles to the directionof movement of the piston member, and through which the pin meansextends. Connected to the piston member, to the upper end 54 thereof, isa cable pin 56 threaded into the piston. The cable pin is aligned withthe direction of movement of the piston, and connected to a cable 58,this cable leading to one or more control members 60 positioned at oneor both of the steering stations. The control members are provided withle'ver arms adapted for translational movement of the control cable 58,the latter being slidable within a sheath 62 connected to bracket 64mounted on the interchanger collar 26.

By means of the control members 60, the piston member 36 of theinterchanger is axially moved within the bore 34 of the interchangerbody, thereby engaging one or the other of the arms B and C with therotatable body F.

The interchanger body lower extension 16 comprises a cylindricalexternal surface on which steering lever B is keyed by a locking pin 66,FIG. 3. It is clear that when one or the other of the arms B and C isrotatably actuated, the steering lever B will also turn or rotate.Following the teachings of prior Pat. No. 3,128,738, both the steeringarms, at the ends 68 remote from the interchanger, are connected withsteering cables leading to control stations of the boat, for instance,two control stations, one on the main deck, and the other on a flyingbridge of the boat. The end 70 of the steering lever B in turn isconnected by a suitable linkage to one or more rudder posts or to thesteering arms of one or more inboard-outboard drives, or other units.

It is apparent that the forces exerted on the steering lever B can bevery high, which forces are transmitted through the interchanger body 12to the steering arms B and C. In the interchanger illustrated in Pat.No. 3,128,738, the pin means, connecting one or the other of theinterchanger arms with the interchanger rotatable body, was comprised ofa single long cylindrical pin which engaged at its opposite ends theopposed recesses of the steering arms. The influence of a clockwise orcounterclockwise force exerted by the lever arm E (and resulting forcesexerted by the arms B and C) would cause the pin to engage one recessalong one of its sides and the other recess along its opposite side,this engagement during movement of the pin axially from one arm to theother tending to rotate the pin in opposite clockwise andcounter-clockwise directions. The result was that the pin simply slidalong the arm recesses during such axial movement, and also slidinglyengaged the guide slots of the interchanger body. In the face of thehigh torque forces experienced with modern high powered inboard-outboardand other drives, the resulting friction often made it impossible toshift the interchanger from one of the control stations to the other.

In accordance with the present invention, the pin means 38 comprisesaxially aligned abutting cylindrical halves 72 and 74 each of whichextends from about the axis or center of the piston member 36 to thebase of an opposed arm recess. The end portions 48 and 50 of the pinhalves are rounded as shown to seat in the half-round arm recesses, andthe opposite inner abutting ends 76 and 78, located adjacent the axis ofthe piston 36, are tapered or conical. In this way, the two pin halvesabut each other with a minimum amount of surface in contact.

Also in accordance with the invention, the pin halves are encompassedadjacent their inner ends "1'6 and 78, each by a pair of cylindricalanti-friction sleeve members 80-84, of the type including cylindricalroller bearing members, ball bearing members, and metallic bushings;although preferably the members are cylindrical needle bearings asshown. Two of the cylindrical needle bearings 80 and 82 are seated inthe cylindrical bore 52 of the piston member, the opposed slots 40 and42 in the body extension 14 being dimensioned to accommodate the otherneedle bear ings 84 and 86, encompassing the pin halves in the spacebetween the inner and outer surfaces of the extension. This arrangementpermits the pin halves to roll along the recesses as they are shiftedfrom engagement with one steering arm to engagement with the othersteering arm. The two pin halves are maintained in engagement with therecesses of the steering arms by being abutted together, the minimalsurfaces of contact between the pin halves permitting one pin half torotate in one direction, and the other to rotate in the oppositedirection, the direction of rotation depending upon the directions offorce applied by the steering arms and lever to the interchanger body.

During shifting of the pin halves between arms, the outer set of needlebearings 84 and 86 move along the guide slots 40 and 42 of theinterchanger body with the pin halves. Preferably, the guide slots aredimensioned so that the needle bearings simply roll along a surface ofthe guide slots for minimum resistance to movement.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the mounting bracket D for the interchangerbody F is substantially U-shaped, comprising upper and lower flanges 88and 90 extending at right angles with respect to a rear wall 92. Thebracket is substantially open between the flanges, except for the rearwall, to accommodate pivotal movement of the steering lever E in a planeintermediate the flanges. To retain the interchanger body within thebracket, the two flanges 88 and 90 define aligned openings 94 and 96provided with tapered roller bearing sets 98 and 102, the two taperedbearing sets defining opposed bearing races 104 and 106 which are angledinwardly towards each other and towards the pivot axis of the steeringlever. The lower race 106 is seated in an annular seat 108 of the lowerflange 90, and engages a narrow neck 110 of the interchanger body,bearing generally inwardly and upwardly against the neck. The upper race104 bears downwardly and inwardly against a shoulder 112 of the body,and is held in position within the opening 94 by means of a cover plate114 via an annular lip 116 of the plate bearing against the upper rollerbearing housing. The cover plate is secured to the interchanger bracketupper flange 88 by means of a plurality of annularly spaced screws. Bytightening the screws, and the use of shims, or other means, the lip 116of the cover plate can be made to press against the upper bearinghousing whatever degree is necessary, to take-up play in the bearingsets.

FIGS. 3 and illustrate the versatility of the interchanger. The mountingbracket D can be mounted to the floor of the boat hull, by placing thelower flange 90 of the bracket against the floor, or can be mounted onthe transom of the boat by placing the rear wall 92 of the bracketagainst the transom. In the former case, the steering arms B and C maybe oriented with respect to the interchanger bracket and body in thepositions shown in FIG. 3, in the same direction with respect to thesteering lever E, or can be reversed in direction to extend at 180 withrespect to orientation of the steering lever. Various other orientationsof the steering arms and steering lever can be obtained by drilling thehole 120 (in the rotatable body) for the locking pin 6-6 of the steeringlever B at different angles with respect to the orientation of thesteering arms B and C.

The above clearly creates a very flexible and universal interchangerwhich can be used in different makes of boats, with different types ofdrives. Particularly with respect to the latter, in that rotation in theinterchanger is virtually friction free, use of the interchanger is notlimited to smaller horsepowers, or restricted from use with certain hightorque drives. With respect to both, the various positions andorientations for the interchanger can be achieved without the need forauxiliary mounting brackets.

Further the roller bearing mountings for the interchanger body, in themounting bracket, make it possible to apply eccentric loads on thesteering lever B at angles with respect to the plane of movement of thesteering lever, i.e., up or down with respect to said plane of movement,to further increase the versatility and universal applicability of theinterchanger.

The tapered bearings also permit take-up of wear in the interchangerreducing back-lash which may occur after substantial use.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specificembodiments, variations within the scope of the following claims will beapparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A steering interchanger comprising:

a rotatable body;

a pair of adjacent steering arms rotatably supported on said body;

a pin movable in said body between said steering arms adapted to engagetorque transmitting cooperating surfaces of one or the other of saidarms;

means for moving said pin; and

cylindrical anti-friction means housing said pin permitting rollingmovement of the pin relative to said cooperating surfaces.

2. The interchanger of claim 1 wherein said pin comprises axiallyaligned cylindrical halves, said steering arms being oscillatable inseparate planes about said body axis, said cooperating surfaces definingopposed recesses in each arm in which said cylindrical halves roll.

3. A steering interchanger comprising:

a rotatable body;

a pair of adjacent steering arms oscillatably supported on said body inseparate parallel planes;

piston means axially movable in a path defined by said body between theplanes of said arms;

cooperating oppositely facing recesses in said steering arms;

axially aligned abutting cylindrical pin halves adapted to extendbetween said recesses, said body defining opposed longitudinallyextending slots and said piston means defining a laterally extendingbore, said slots and bore being alignable with said recesses toaccommodate said pin halves;

rolling bearing means housing said pin halves and encompassed by saidpiston means and rotatable body.

4. A steering interchanger comprising:

a rotatable body including an outer cylindrical surface and an inneraxially aligned bore;

a pair of adjacent steering arms oscillatable in parallel planes atright angles to said body axis, said arms comprising end portionsencompassing and in sliding engagement with said body outer surface;

opposed elongated, longitudinally extending apertures defined by saidbody, said arm cooperating surfaces defining opposed recessespositionable opposite said apertures;

piston means movable in said bore, said piston means defining atransversely extending bore positionable in alignment with saidapertures;

means to move said piston means;

a pair of abutting, cylindrical, pin halves in said piston means boreextending through said apertures and engaging said opposed recesses;

cylindrical needle bearings housing said pin halves, said 7 bearingsbeing contained within said opposed apertures and said piston meansbore.

5. The interchanger of claim 4 wherein said pin halves abutting ends aretapered inwardly so that the surface area of contact between said pinhalves is minimal.

6. A steering interchanger including:

a rotatable body;

a pair of adjacent steering arms rotatably supported on said body;

a key movable between said steering arms adapted to engage one or theother of said arms;

piston means movable in said body to move said key;

said key comprising a cylindrical surface rollingly engaging said arms;and

rolling bearing means between said key and said body and piston means topermit said key to roll relative thereto.

7. A steering interchanger according to claim 6 including a mountingbracket comprising at least two surfaces at right angles to each otheradapted for mounting said rotatable body, said arms being oscillatableabout said body in separate parallel planes.

8. A steering interchanger according to claim 7 wherein said mountingbracket is U-shaped including parallel upper and lower flanges, aportion of said rotatable body extending between said upper and lowerflanges; annular bearing means contained by said flanges engaging saidportion whereby the axis of rotation of said body is perpendicular tothe plane of said flanges; said bearing means being in parallel planesat right angles to said axis of rotation and including bearing raceswhich are angled with respect to said axis each lying in a conical areawhich diverges in the direction of the other race; further including asteering lever connected to said portion oscillatable in a planeparallel with but between the planes of said upper and lower flanges.

9. A steering interchanger comprising:

a rotatable body;

a pair of adjacent steering arms rotatably supported on said body;

a pair of axially aligned cylindrical pin halves movable in said bodybetween said steering arms adapted to engage opposed torque transmittingcooperating surfaces of one or the other of said arms; and

means for moving said pin halves between said arms.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,128,738 4/1964 Farrington et al114-146 MILTON KAUFMAN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

